Zelensky says Russia shared jet drone technology with North Korea
Quick Look
- Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky noted that Russia may have shared its latest jet-powered drone technology with its North Korean allies.
- He also responded to South Korean President Lee Jae-myung's accusation, saying that according to South Korea's constitution, the captured North Korean soldiers were also South Korean nationals, so they were handed over to South Korea.
- South Korea threatened to take countermeasures if Ukraine did not publicly apologize.
AI-generated summary
Why It Matters
Since Russia invaded Ukraine, it has received artillery and ballistic missile support from North Korea. Recently, the Russian military has increased the frequency of its use of jet drones against Ukraine, and Ukraine currently lacks effective countermeasures. South Korea has previously worried that North Korea would support Russia in exchange for weapons technology.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy pointed out on the 4th that Russia is likely to have shared its latest jet-powered drone technology with its long-term ally North Korea.
Reuters reported that in recent weeks, the Russian military has significantly increased the frequency of its use of jet drones against Ukraine, and Ukraine currently has no other effective means to counterattack other than dispatching fighter jets to intercept. At the beginning of the war, North Korea provided Russia with millions of artillery shells and later ballistic missiles for the Russian army to attack major cities in Ukraine.
Please read on...
When asked by a reporter whether Russia had transferred technology for the latest generation of jet-powered drones to North Korea, Zelensky replied: "Yes, of course." "They (Russia) are sharing all the technology with North Korea. I don't know the details of ballistic missiles and so on, but I think so, because North Korea is assisting them with missiles."
South Korea and Western countries have repeatedly expressed concerns that Pyongyang may support the war in Ukraine in exchange for Moscow's assistance in weapons research and development technology. In addition, thousands of North Korean soldiers have been sent to Russia to gain combat experience in actual combat.
At the same time, diplomatic discord has broken out between Seoul and Kiev authorities in recent days over the issue of prisoners of war. Zelensky announced at the United Nations General Assembly last month that the Ukrainian army had handed over to South Korea two North Korean prisoners of war captured while representing the Russian army in the war. In response, South Korean President Lee Jae-myung threatened on the 2nd that if the Kiev authorities did not recognize the confidentiality agreement signed by both parties during the handover process and publicly apologize, South Korea would take unspecified countermeasures against Ukraine.
When interviewed, Zelensky did not directly respond to Lee Jae-myung’s accusations, saying only: "South Korea asked us to hand over North Korean soldiers to them. By the way, according to the South Korean constitution, these people are also their nationals... so we handed over these two people to them."
What to Watch
AI outlook — possibilities, not facts
South Korea will take diplomatic or economic countermeasures against Ukraine unless Ukraine publicly apologizes and acknowledges confidentiality agreement
Likely · Within weeks
Open Questions
- What specific jet drone technology did Russia share with North Korea?
- What exactly are the "unpublicly stated countermeasures" that South Korea is referring to?
- What is the scale of actual combat deployment and casualties of North Korean soldiers in Russia?
